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the northern path. The wizards
of the isles did not frighten her. They were certainly powerful, but the wind
was on her side. She came by her powers naturally. The Enlightened Elves
tortured themselves through countless hours of magical training, all in an
effort to prove their superiority over each other. Their methods were flawed in
her eyes, and she did not consider them a threat.
    As she looked into the distance, the memory of the
presence climbed back into her thoughts. Or was she sensing it again? Something
was definitely out there, and its mind was growing stronger, though it still
hid itself somewhere among the mountains. The hairs on the back of her neck
stood up, a slight discomfort coming over her stomach. All was not well.

Chapter 5
     
    I t was just past
midday when the trio finally set out, and the summer sun offered up its warmth
as they journeyed along the dirt path. Fields of green lay to either side, but
only steps ahead, the grass became sparse, unable to take root in the rocky
mountain soil. Soon the travelers would be immersed in stone, the smooth path carved
by the dwarves their only scenery.
    “How is the weather up north?” Galen asked,
attempting to fill the silence.
    “Cold,” Raad grunted. He leaned forward slightly
as he walked, the weight of his backpack heavy.
    Squinting his eyes slightly, Galen asked, “What
have you go in there?”
    “Cask,” the dwarf replied, his white teeth
shining.
    “Will you be sharing?” the elf asked.
    Raad shook his head. “You can get this stuff any
time. I might not be back this way for years.”
    “Well, save it until we’ve arrived,” Kaiya said,
scanning the surroundings. “We need to keep our minds sharp.” With every step,
her worry grew. She tried to tell herself she was only being paranoid, but
still she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was out there—waiting,
watching, and planning its first, or possibly next, move.
    “What’s wrong, Kaiya?” Galen asked, his tone
sincere.
    “I wish I knew,” she responded. “Maybe Raad could
shed more light on the situation.”
    The dwarf seemed confused. “How so?” he asked.
    “There’s more than what you’ve told me,” she said.
“Why don’t you let me in on the rest of the story?”
    “The tremors started weeks ago,” the miner began,
“but we ignored it mostly. That sort of thing happens from time to time, but
there’s nothing to be done about it. We went on with our work, but the shaking
kept getting worse.” He shrugged, wondering what else the sorceress wanted to
know.
    “And then?” she asked, her eyes focused ahead. The
light was fading quickly as they climbed higher in the mountains, and she hoped
to know the full story by nightfall. Perhaps then her dreams would reveal
something significant.
    “The rest is best left to Foreman Daro,” Raad
said. “I couldn’t explain it if I wanted to.”
    “Try,” Kaiya insisted.
    “There are strange things in the highest reaches of
the world,” Galen broke in. “Perhaps you encountered one of them.” He smiled
slightly at the miner.
    “Maybe,” Raad muttered. To Kaiya, he said, “You’re
the sorceress, so figuring these things out is your job, not mine. I was sent
to fetch you, and I have. There’s nothing more to say.”
    Kaiya said nothing but focused her magic to the
dwarf behind her. His mind was a jumble, likely due to the alcohol he had been
drinking. Strange images came to the surface, but all she could make out were
rocks. No matter how deep she pried, only rocks came into view. Miners, she thought, disappointed. Her skill of probing another’s mind clearly needed a
lot more work.
    The path narrowed until the trio was forced into
close quarters, walls of gray rock on either side of them. It gave Galen a
claustrophobic feeling, but he did his best to hide it. The dwarves were far
more at home in small spaces than the elf. He found himself holding his breath
for long intervals, his discomfort written on his